(NEW YORK)—PEN America strongly condemns the decision by the Belarusian authorities to designate PEN Belarus as an “extremist organization,” calling the move a dangerous escalation in the government’s ongoing assault on free expression and Belarusian culture free from state control.
The extremist designation criminalizes the work of one of Belarus’s most important literary and human rights organizations and puts writers, staff, and supporters at risk of persecution simply for defending the freedom to write.
“Labeling a community of writers and defenders of free expression as ‘extremists’ exposes the deep insecurity of a government that fears the power of words,” said Summer Lopez and Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, Co-CEOs of PEN America. “PEN Belarus has stood courageously with writers in the face of relentless repression. Branding them extremists is not only an attack on one organization—it is an attempt to criminalize literature, silence dissent, and erase independent cultural life in Belarus. We stand in unwavering solidarity with our colleagues and call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately reverse this decision.”
PEN America urges the Belarusian government to end its persecution of writers, journalists, and cultural organizations and to respect its international obligations to protect freedom of expression and association.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.